Rhinelander Library Deciding Building Direction

Is it north or is it east? Those appear to be the expansion choices as the Rhinelander District Library moves forward on a possible expansion.

Library Director Ed Hughes says HBM Architects from Cleveland met with the library board to help factor in as much as possible into a design...

"...we picked them because they had extensive experience working with older Carnegie libraries. As everyone knows in this community, that old Carnegie library is well-loved...."

Hughes says the key question is whether the library expansion will go north or east from the current main building.

Hughes says the goal is to preserve the best of the current building while adding more natural light as an example. Hughes says after plans are firmed up, a likely fund drive will take place a year from now...

"...we don't think we can get any substantial fundraising done yet this summer. We want to target some of our fundraising toward some of the 'snowbirds'(seasonal residents) that come back as well as the local population. We'll probably wait for a major fundraising push until next year..."

Meanwhile in Three Lakes, the leaders at the Demmer Library held a public forum recently. They are also hoping to renovate that facility. Projected cost is estimated at $2.6 million dollars.